Universal has been trying to get a remake of Creature from the Black Lagoon off the ground for a few years at this stage, and the project is finally moving forward with a horror maestro at the helm.
According to THR, James Wan is in early talks to direct a reimagining of the black-and-white '50s classic, which was helmed by Jack Arnold.
The original focused on a group of scientists attempting to study an ancient prehistoric monster known as the Gill-Man, who soon becomes dangerous and begins to take them out after taking a shine to Julia Adams' character. It's still viewed by many as one of the most influential horror films of all time.
This take is described as being "a grounded, modernized retelling that will lean into visceral horror, while still paying respect to the original."
Wan is known for his work on The Conjuring, Insidious, and Saw franchises, as well as Aquaman and its recent sequel, The Lost Kingdom.
An earlier Creature remake was in the works as part of Universal's now defunct Dark Universe back in 2016 with Will Beall penning the script. There were rumors that Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow) was being courted to star, but we never found out if there was any truth to them.
Prior to that, legendary filmmakers such as John Landis, John Carpenter and Ivan Reitman tried their hands at developing remakes, none of which ever got very far. Guillermo del Toro was also interested in directing a CFTBL movie back in 2002, but his concept was rejected and he ended up using a lot of his ideas for 2017's Best Picture winner The Shape of Water, which also focused on an amphibious humanoid creature falling for a human woman.
How do you feel about Wan helming a Creature from the Black Lagoon remake? Check out a trailer for the original below, let us know in the comments section.
"Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives."